LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — All students are safe after a Washington Local elementary school went into lockdown Friday morning following what the district said was an apparent swatting call.
WTOL 11 reached out to a Washington Local Schools around 9:50 a.m. regarding the incident. The spokesperson told WTOL 11 via text message shortly after 10 a.m. that Shoreland Elementary School on Suder Avenue received an anonymous report from the Safer Ohio School State Tip Line that caused an immediate lockdown at the school.
Law enforcement responded to the school and declared the building all clear, the district said.
According to the district, the initial call is believed to have been a swatting call with no known origin.
"We understand that reports such as these cause concern and want you to know that the safety and well-being of our students are our utmost priority. We are grateful for the prompt response from local authorities," the district said.
Washington Local Schools shared the same information to their Facebook page.
In a press release, Washington Township police said the search around the school was made with the help of their department, Toledo police and the Washington Local Schools Department of Public Safety.
Students were released following the incident per parents' requests, police said, who said they continue to investigate the origin of the call.
"Swatting" refers to an intentionally false or misleading 911 call made with the intention of sending law enforcement to a location. In Ohio, swatting is a fourth-degree felony. If the incident causes serious physical harm to someone, it becomes a second-degree felony.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to add information regarding when and how WTOL 11 reached out to Washington Local Schools. Information from a Washington Township Police Department press release has also been added, since it became available.
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